A Few Romantic Items At The New-York Historical Society

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Thanks to Chaucer, we now associate the holiday with love, though the fates of Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome were not very romantic. Still, we have numerous tokens of love in our Museum collections, ranging from the 1750s to the 1960s. Below are just a few, but tell us, what are your favorite love-centric items in our Luce Center?

What could be more romantic than a wedding ring? This was the ring of General Horatio Gates (1728-1806), with the inscription “Let love abide till death divide” engraved on the inside. Born in England, Gates served in Nova Scotia under Cornwallis in the British army as a youth. He came to America in 1772, purchasing land in what is now West Virginia. Siding with the colonies when the Revolution broke out, he joined the Continental Army and was given the rank of brigadier general. In 1790 he freed his slaves, sold his plantation, and moved to New York. He served in the New York State legislature from 1800 to 1801.

Venus is the Roman goddess traditionally associated with love and fertility. This clock represents the allegory of Venus and Adonis, depicting the goddess in a swan-pulled chariot gazing at her lover, with her son Cupid nearby. Unfortunately, the story of Venus and Adonis does not end well. Despite her warnings, he is killed while hunting boar. But Venus turns him into a flower, the anemone, whose beauty can be enjoyed every year, albeit briefly.

I love Rocky! Bumper Sticker, 1960-1968, Paper, INV.7091

Some people feel immense love for their government representatives. Nelson A. Rockefeller, New York Governor and Vice-President, ran unsuccessfully for U.S. President in 1960, 1964 and 1968 on the Republican ticket. But his supporters were with him, as shown by this bumper sticker. And you don’t have to feel bad for Rockefeller’s failed Presidential bids; he was re-elected Governor in 1962, 1966 and 1970.

Aren’t these lovebirds adorable? This object is part of our Elie Nadelman collection. Nadelman is well-known today as an avant-garde sculptor, but he also had a remarkable collection of American folk art. From 1924 to 1934, Nadelman’s collection was displayed in his Museum of Folk Arts, located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. New-York Historical purchased Nadelman’s entire collection in 1937.

Fan, 1939, Paper, Gift of Bella C. Landauer, 2002.1.1406

Who knew that fan gestures held hidden meanings? Apparently the men of the 1930s were clued in. This fan shows “Instructions for the genteel female in the proper Coquetry of the Fan” and warns “Ladies employing these Rules in the exercise of the Fan do so at their own Discretion & Risk.” To say “I love you,” draw the fan across your cheek. To say “you may kiss me,” put a half-opened fan across your lips. Try it out on your special someone today!

Tiffany Studio’s stained glass lamps are among the most gorgeous decorative objects ever created and represent an incredible historical moment of American art joining the world stage. While numerous countries are filled with beautiful painting, sculpture and architecture, American stained glass of the late-19th and early-20th century outshines the competition. Tiffany lamps not only embody America coming into its own artistically, their innovative opalescent glass and usage of incandescent bulbs also illuminate America as a...Read More

Despite busy schedules, throngs of tourists and cold temperatures, you would be hard-pressed to find a New Yorker who doesn't find joy in holiday traditions. How would we know it was December without the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, store windows on Fifth Avenue, street vendors selling chestnuts, and nostalgic subway trains and toy train exhibitions? Thousands have already visited our Holiday Express exhibition this season, and we look forward to sharing these newly-acquired toys and trains from the...Read More

On July 25, 1953, New York City's subway fare was raised to 15 cents. Instead of making subway riders have three nickels each time, the city introduced the subway token, which became a symbol of the city until it was phased out for the MetroCard in 2003.
The initial subway token design featured the initials NYC in the center, with the Y cut out. This design was used until 1979, when, to commemorate the 75th anniversary...Read More